Quick and easy Cauliflower Alfredo that's rich, creamy, delicious, and low fat! It's a great, healthy and lightened-up alternative to traditional Alfredo sauce.
Looking for a healthy Alfredo recipe? Cauliflower Alfredo is the answer!
We are skipping the cream-filled, calorie-laden ingredients and using cauliflower as a base for this rich and creamy, lightened-up Alfredo sauce.
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What does Cauliflower Alfredo Taste Like?
Obviously this dairy-free, cauliflower-based sauce doesn't taste quite like a traditional Alfredo but it's flavor is still really delicious and it's loaded with vitamin C, fiber and a decent amount of protein.
You will be amazed at how silky the blended cauliflower gets. The finished sauce is super creamy and coats and clings to the fettuccine perfectly, with no worries about huge amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol!
But, I'm not going to lie. It does taste of cauliflower. So, if you don't like cauliflower, please don't make it. If you want a creamy pasta dish that isn't cauliflower-based then check out my Vegan Carbonara, nut-free Vegan Cheese Sauce or Cashew Cheese Sauce.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll be needing to make Cauliflower Alfredo:
The miso and olive oil are optional ingredients. Miso makes the sauce "cheesier", and olive oil (or vegan butter) makes it slightly richer and glossier.
Tip - For lower calorie alternatives to regular fettuccini you could try konjac noodles or zucchini noodles (zoodles!).
How To Make Cauliflower Alfredo
Making Cauliflower Alfredo is really quick and easy:
- Steam or boil the cauliflower florets and stalks (no need to waste them!) until fork tender.
- Saute the onions and garlic.
- Blend them up with the other sauce ingredients, adding some plant milk to thin as necessary.
- Boil the fettuccine in a large pot, drain, then toss with the sauce over a low heat.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve Cauliflower Alfredo with a fresh parsley garnish and a side of peas. There is something about the pop of green colour and the little bursts of sweetness amongst the fettuccine tangles that I love. A few other great accompaniments are:
Storing & Using Leftovers
Leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. It can be used in lots of different ways:
- Add more nutritional yeast or some vegan cheese and mix with macaroni for a quick and healthy mac and cheese.
- Drizzle over pizza or use on the base of a homemade pizza instead of pizza sauce.
- Use in place of Béchamel sauce in lasagne.
- Stir through risotto and soups to make them extra creamy.
- Use in place of cream or canned soups in creamy casseroles.
Hungry For More?
If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!
Recipe
Cauliflower Alfredo
Author:Ingredients
For the sauce
- ½ medium (350g / 12 oz) cauliflower , florets and stalks
- 1 small onion , finely chopped (roughly golf ball size)
- 4 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika , or chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon white miso , optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , or vegan butter (optional)
- Approx ¼ cup (60 ml) plant milk , it must be unsweetened & unflavoured
For the pasta
- 14 oz (400 grams) fettuccine , (or other pasta of choice, gluten-free if necessary)
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
For the sauce
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil and add the cauliflower. Cook for about 7 minutes or until fork tender. Don't overcook it as it will get watery. (You can steam it if you prefer).Drain and add to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until completely smooth. Once it's smooth, add the milk gradually a drop at a time until the sauce is the thickness you want. You might need slightly more or less than stated and you might need to do this in batches if your blender isn't big enough.
For the fettuccine
- Bring a large pan of salted boiling water to a rolling boil then drop in the fettuccine and cook as per the package instructions.
- While it is cooking warm the Cauliflower Alfredo sauce gently in a pan.
- Cook the fettuccine until al dente (tender with a little bite), then drain and return to the pan. Pour as much cauliflower sauce as you need into the fettuccine and stir gently to coat. Serve immediately.
NOTES
NUTRITION
This recipe was originally published on August 25th, 2017. The post has since been rewritten. The recipe remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Rochelle says
This was very good! Easy to make. I served it on spaghettini and peas as a side dish one night, and the next night just on peas. My toddler liked it, so it's an extra win to get a few more veggies in his tummy. He wasn't eating quite as many peas without the sauce. It tastes more like garlic to me than cauliflower. Thanks, Mel!
Lysa says
I added a bit more salt and some parsley but this recipe is AMAZING!
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't personally tried freezing it but I'm sure it will be fine.
Molly says
SO YUM! I am AMAZED with how creamy and delicious this sauce was. It just goes to show that a little reimagination of some of your favourite meals is all you need. Pasta dishes DON'T need to be so fattening and heavy. You WILL like this sauce.
Thanks for sharing :)
Lisa says
I just tried this recipe for the first time today, after wanting to find a new vegan trick for cooking up cauliflower. This will now be a staple in my repertoire for sure! I can't believe how creamy and flavourful this is - who needs dairy! Thank you for such a delicious, easy-to-follow recipe.
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you enjoyed it Lisa!
sophia meldrum says
Honestly the most delicious non cheese - cheese dish ever!! such an easy recipe to follow and so effective, I will DEFINITELY BE EATING THIS AGAIN!!!!! I added mushrooms which is quite yum too xx
Amanda j alves says
Great! I also added mushrooms, and broccoli, and used angel hair pasta, like another poster mentioned. I didnt have any miso or really anything spicy which it could have used and I'll add next time.
Cori says
WOW this recipe is amazing! I added sautéed mushrooms and roasted tomatoes to top it off, and I used angel hair pasta because its my favorite. I’ve been vegan for almost a year now and always have nights when I crave Fettuccine Alfredo. Now I’ll always make this recipe. Thank you SO much!
lillian says
I just made this tonight and topped it off with some homemade parm, served with a side of roasted green beans, and I had one heck of a delicious meal ? I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow ?
Melanie McDonald says
Sounds perfect! I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Lillian!
Natalie says
This sauce is amazing I loved it...so did my Italian husband! I used red miso as that’s all I had but it worked, this is definitely on my list of favourite meals. Thank you for such a great and easy recipe
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it Natalie!
HB says
I used the leftover sauce as a pizza sauce to make a vegan pizza tonight....this is a very versatile sauce!
HB says
Just made this tonight....it was delicious! I didn’t have miso paste so I omitted that but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Emily says
Hi Melanie,
This recipe looks divine and I am beyond excited to try it out! I was wondering, is it possible to combine the ingredients in a food processor rather than a blender?
Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Because everything is pretty soft to start with it will be fine. Just make sure you process until it's completely smooth. Hope you enjoy it!
Dianne says
The best cauli alfredo I've made. Delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Dianne! I hope you find some.
Alisa says
What a wonderful veggie-rich sauce! I really loved it.
Jenn says
This sauce was super creamy! I can't believe it's made with veggies!
Susan says
I cannot eat nutritional yeast. Is this recipe do-able without it? I notice pretty much all cheese recipes have it or nuts. Which I cant have either....
A Virtual Vegan says
It is definitely do-able. It hides the cauliflower taste a little but if you are ok with the flavour being a little more prominent then go for it. It will be just as creamy.
Amy Roberts says
Made this tonight and loved it. Definitely a keeper!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it Amy. Thank you for coming back to leave feedback!
Linda says
This was amazing, Melanie. It will definitely be a regular here!